"Brand New Day" (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)

[Walker Prescott]

Okay, I did this for three reasons.

One-- at the three-month mark of having official voice teachers, I figured I'd make a recording to mark my own personal progress since then, and

Two-- I'm currently cast in an up-in-the-air stage production of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, so I figured I might as well practice.

Three-- Because I love you guys so much and I wanted to share. A.K.A.: GIMME PRAISE.

So yeah, enjoy. That's all I can say. Though I'm not sure you will.

http://www.4shared.com/file/13491052...Prescott_.html

Karaoke made and remixed by James Taubner.

Self-critique:
Some of the octave changes are awkward, and I appear not to know the words on the second rapid-fire part. And a couple of breathing problems here and there. But better than I would've done a few months ago.

[Kabukiyasha]

Just listened to it~ Do you have a link to earlier singing stuff so we can compare? I'm... probably too new to have heard the other stuff yet. You did really well with the opening stuff as well as the rap-esque portions. The singing is fairly emotional too, which is important!

The only comment is what you've pointed out, you have some trouble with key changes and holding the tune for about a note or two there after. Might be worth focusing on those changes in exercises, or doing lots and lots of warm up first!

[Nikki Wright]

Hello. My name's Nikki. I'm the meanest song-critique-person on the forum. Please don't take anything I may say in a negative light, as anything I may say can only stand to help you as a singer.

First, I just want to say how lucky you are that you are taking lessons. I would love to take singing lessons, but I cannot afford to and when I was younger, my parents didn't want to help me pay for it. So.. you're very lucky that you're able to have such a resource available to you.

That said, my biggest critique is that I feel you are lacking some emotion. This song is an angry song. Here, Dr. Horrible is pissed. Captain Hammer has the girl of his dreams and the guy is acting like he actually has some sort of soul in order to sleep with her. As a result, Billy has discovered that, despite previously saying he didn't think killing was 'for him,' he wants to kill Captain Hammer. Unfortunately, you sound as if you're just singing the lyrics as if they have no meaning whatsoever. And I really feel as if you're singing through the second verse a bit faster than intended, creating a really flat sounding bit of the song. Maybe think about something that's made you angry in the past and apply it to what you're singing because that tends to help. Maybe pretend like you're singing this song to someone you don't like, or that someone just said something that really offends you. Anything to get the anger in your head will help.

Now, as for the technical stuff.. you're right when you mention having trouble switching keys and holding out notes. It's particularly noticable when you're singing about Penny. I think this mostly comes from a lack of breath control and perhaps you aren't completely using your diaphragm to get those notes out. I won't offer any tips, as you can discuss these things with your instructor [as I'm sure you already do so regularly], but perhaps you can bring this song into him or her and work on that part so you get a better understanding of switching keys and holding out notes.

You have a lot of potential, and from what you wrote in another thread, you seem very dedicated to improving on yourself. I think you can definitely take your voice far, so please keep up the hard work.